Since it’s such a huge, kick-ass music
festival that spotlights the newest and best of the local, original
music scene from several genres, we thought we’d give you a little heads
up on next week’s Clifton Heights Music Festival so you can make plans
early.

The event returns April 6 and 7 to five
venues around the University of Cincinnati in the Clifton Heights
neighborhood, which (like Over-the-Rhine and other parts of the city) is
on the verge of a huge revitalization. The event has run biannually
since debuting in 2009.

Like seemingly every Clifton Heights
Music Festival fest, this year brings some changes. The first is the
event’s name, which is now simply The Heights Music Festival. Organizer Far-I-Rome is also adding a “Day Fest” this year on Saturday. Day Fest events are open to all ages and run from 3-6 p.m.

The nighttime music runs from 7 p.m. until about 1 a.m.

Rohs Street Café
(245 W McMillan St., Clifton Heights; www.rohsstreetcafe.com) is also
all-ages, not just Saturday but throughout the fest. On Friday, April 6,
Rohs has The DeBauches, Incline District, Shoot Out The Lights, The Minor Leagues and Josh Eagle & The Harvest City. Rohs’ eclectic Saturday Day Fest lineup features Jessi Bair & Noah Wotherspoon, Greg Zoller, Sound Museum and The Stratfords. Dan Orlando kicks off Rohs’ April 7 night festivities at 7 p.m., followed by Us, Today, Gorges, Cabin and Archer’s Paradox.

Christy’s Saturday Day Fest lineup features Dead Beat Dolls, The Altered Statesmen, Vivid Youth and The Ohms. On the night of April 7, Christy’s hosts The Comforts, Kissing Daylight, Lemon Sky, The Never Setting Suns, Automagik and Skeetones.

Baba Budan’s (239
West McMillan St., Clifton Heights; www.bababudans.com) April 6 lineup
kicks off with a comedy set hosted by Mack Harden at 7 p.m., followed by
Big Rock Club, Belle Histoire, Playfully Yours, The Instruction and The Kickaways. Day Fest at Baba’s features Deadwood Floats, The Ridges, Evans Collective and The Yugos. And later on April 7, Baba’s hosts Dinosaurs & Thunder, The Desert Gun, Those Guys, The Natives, Trademark Aaron, Da 3rd Element, SHADOWRAPTR and Eclipse.

Tickets are available now through
www.cincyticket.com. Individual passes for April 6 and 7 are just $5 in
advance. You can also purchase a two-day pass for $10 in advance. For
full details on The Heights Music Festival, visit
www.theheightsmusicfestival.com.

More Local Notes

• Blazing West Chester rockers Total Dudes are celebrating their fifth anniversary and the birth of their new baby — their latest recording, Top of the Dude Chain — this Saturday at downtown’s Mainstay Rock Bar. The swaggering, hard-charging, Punk-fueled trio is joined by Chiva Knievel and Stained Glass Jesus for the 10 p.m. show. Admission is $5. Give the Dudes a listen at www.reverbnation.com/totaldudesrocks.

• The online review site Yelp is teaming
up with more than 30 local non-profits for what sounds like an amazing
event this Friday at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center on Clifton Ave.
The Yelp Helps After School Special party will feature free food and
drinks from several local establishments, performances and displays from
local arts and music organizations, info on the various non-profits
involved and lots of other “extracurriculars.” There will also be live
music from great local Indie rockers The Never Setting Suns, and DJ E
will spin throughout the party, which runs from 8-10 p.m. Visit
Yelp.com’s Cincinnati site and search “Yelp Helps” for more details and
to RSVP.